First published 2009
In 2004 Texas, two-year-old Rowan receives a diagnosis of severe autism, devastating his parents' hopes for normal family life. Communication seems impossible as Rowan struggles with violent episodes. Only one activity brings him peace: riding Betsy, an old mare, with his father Rupert Isaacson. This discovery sparks an audacious plan. Isaacson decides to take his son to Mongolia, one of humanity's last horse cultures, where shamanism still thrives and the relationship between mind and body differs from the civilized world. Their journey becomes an extraordinary odyssey across a remote landscape. Along the way, they encounter remarkable people who help this different child reconnect with the world around him. The story follows their adventure as Rowan gradually opens up to life through the ancient wisdom of Mongolian horsemen and healers. This is a moving account of one family's steep path toward connection that seemed forever out of reach.
Genres: family, adventure, memoir, biography-memoir, health, disability
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Mongolia, Texas
Period: 2004
400 pages · Paperback · ALBIN MICHEL
Content warnings: mental-illness